Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What does the goat on the poster have to do with the movie? A. Unfortunately, the part of our goat— Richelieu—had to be axed during filming. We all love him so much that it was important he be part of our film somehow. We intend to include our beloved goat and numerous other surprises in a feature version of the film. All we can say is that one of the characters in our film rekindles a lost platonic flame.

Q. Where was Freedom State filmed? A. Freedom State was shot entirely in Oregon over a period of 9 days in April, 2005. Locations included:

Interiors of the former Dammasch state mental hospital in Wilsonville, currently being redeveloped by Costa Pacific Communities

Interiors of Menucha Lodge, a retreat and conference center in the Columbia Gorge

Exterior of a private home south of Wilsonville

Q. Who designed the amazing “machine” used in your film? A. Production designer Travis Nicholas Zariwny (pronounced “Zah-ROONEY”)spent eight years as the art director at the Sundance film labs where his job included overseeing the building of sets for three feature films one month each year. Those of us working on the film are not sure whether Travis ever sleeps! (He even spent several late nights working on the machine in the haunted and very creepy former state mental hospital.) Travis especially appreciates the help of James Eubank, Jenelle Giordano and Mike Lindberg who worked in the film’s art department.

Q. How was Freedom State filmed? A. Shot entirely in wide screen high definition, Freedom State was filmed using state of the art digital equipment. This included a Panasonic HD Varicam with zoom lenses provided by Fujinon. As a result, the film will have excellent video quality and a long term “shelf life.”

Q. What music is used? A. The music score is being composed by Gregory Ives. An Emmy® nominee, Mr. Ives is handling all the post-production sound. It will have a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack.

Q. What does “Freedom State is a sponsored project of the Oregon Film and Video Foundation” mean?A. The Oregon Film and Video Foundation is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It was commissioned by the governor in 1992 and seeks to foster the growth and understanding of film and video in Oregon. It operates the Hollywood Theatre to further this mission and also offers “fiscal sponsorship” to filmmakers. Fiscal sponsorship is basically a way to help filmmakers obtain funding for their films from individuals and organizations who like the assurance of a third party overseeing the project. The OFVF’s nonprofit status also allows contributions to be tax deductible. The OFVF does not provide cash to the filmmaker for making a film, but holds in trust funds obtained through other sources.

Freedom State is the first narrative film project sponsored by the OFVF; in the past only documentary films have been produced under its auspices. The OFVF hopes Freedom State will prove to be a successful model for future Oregon filmmakers.

Q. I have a great idea for a film or documentary. How does someone get started making a film?A. In Oregon, organizations like the Art Institute of Portland, the NW Film Center and the NW Documentary Center offer classes on how to get started.

Q. What if I want my project to be fiscally sponsored? A. The Oregon Film and Video Foundation accepts proposals for sponsored projects. To obtain information and initial forms, call the Foundation at (503) 493-1128.

FREEDOM STATE is a sponsored project of Film Action Oregon (formerly the Oregon Film and Video Foundation)